


The Happiest Beginning

by tatonka_chan



Series: All I Ask [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Medieval, I love Iwaizumi´s parents, Iwaizumi has no verbal filter, Kids AU, Noble Iwaizumi, Oikawa hates his life but loves Iwa-chan, Prince Oikawa, omegaverse but not really, very cute, very wholesome, watch Oikawa make 1 friend, watch me talk about horses without having any knowledge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-11
Updated: 2020-11-11
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:42:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27514771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tatonka_chan/pseuds/tatonka_chan
Summary: Young prince Oikawa Tooru is not thrilled to go visit a noble family in some remote corner of their country. Yet when he meets their son Hajime the boy completely flips his world upside down. Between catching butterflies and sharing beds they become unlikely best friends, forming a bond that will change their future forever.
Relationships: Iwaizumi Hajime & Oikawa Tooru
Series: All I Ask [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2010943
Comments: 7
Kudos: 69





	The Happiest Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> This is meant as a prequel for All I Ask, but can be read as a sweet little standalone without problem. It´s set in a fictional medieval world that´s somewhat a mix of Japanese and European culture. People of higher standing typically wear clothes similar to traditional Japanese Kimono and Yukata, others wear just loose pants and shirts that are more suited for actual work. The east, Iwaizumi´s home, is also inspired by Japan architectural style wise, but I´d say the people´s attitude is a little more...relaxed.
> 
> This initially started out as a short little scene of them meeting and becoming friends, but it turned into this monstrosity bc I just had so much fun writing/watching their relationship develop. The story is at the very core an omegaverse for plot reasons, but since I have sort of a love-hate relationship with that shit you won´t really find any of the classic tropes it usually involves. Not that they´d be important here anyway.
> 
> Now, have fun with this little piece of child Iwaoi being wholesome.

"How much loooongeeeer?"

Oikawa Akemi sighed. Her son had been whining non-stop for the past hour, asking when they'd arrive every few minutes and it was eating away at her patience. Granted, traveling around in a carriage for days wasn't the favoured activity of any 10-year old, but as prince Tooru had to become familiar with their country and its lords. Visits to the estates of the most important nobles and generals were necessary to keep in touch with them, especially those living in the outer regions of their lands. The earlier he got used to the travelling the better. Akemi had just hoped that he'd do it with a little less complaining.

"I told you just a minute ago that we'll be there soon", she said with as much calm as she could muster.

"How soon?", Tooru demanded to know, as if he hadn't asked that question at least a dozen times already.

"Very soon", Akemi promised, but Tooru crossed his arms and glared at her.

"You said that an hour ago, too! I don't want to sit in here and stare out of the window anymore. It's boring!"

She gave him a sympathetic smile. "I know, my darling, but I can't make the carriage go any faster."

"Why not? You're the queen."

"Just because you are royalty doesn't mean you always get what you want."

Tooru pouted and looked away. Akemi sighed again.

"Why don't you read one of your books? It will make the time fly much faster."

"I already read all of them."

"All of them?" Akemi looked at her son in surprise. She knew that he was smart, and he'd been taught to read, write and do other things required of a prince at a very young age, but they'd taken more than a dozen books with them. But apparently, that hadn't been enough.

"Of course. There's nothing else to do in this stupid carriage. Outside there are only the same boring trees as yesterday and you're not playing with me."

Akemi averted her eyes, a little ashamed at the truth behind his words. Tooru had been riding with his nanny for the most part of the past week while she had been in her own carriage with her handmaidens. Despite being his mother Akemi never had a lot of time for her youngest son, so she had insisted on joining him for the last part of the voyage to make up for some of it.

"Lord Iwaizumi has a son, you can play with him when we arrive", she suggested. "He's around your age."

Tooru didn't look pleased. "If he's from such a remote dump he's probably as dense as that forest outside. I bet he can't even read."

"Tooru! You can't say such things about someone you've never met. Don't be so condescending!", Akemi chided her son who stubbornly lifted his chin.

"Minako always says that the alphas from the east are all brawns and no brains."

"Your sister is only fourteen and has only been to the east once. Don't believe everything she tells you. Your father thinks highly of Lord Iwaizumi and values his advice, so don't you dare say anything like that again, especially not in his presence. You might be a prince, but that doesn't give you the right to say and do whatever you please."

Now Tooru was sulking again. He did that a lot. Akemi wondered if it was the lack of discipline that had made him such a bratty child or if it was just a part of his character. Anyhow, she'd have word with his nursemaid about spoiling him. Even as prince the world wasn't easy for an omega and if he kept his attitude it would only cause more trouble.

The road they followed ascended onto a hill and slowly the forest around them became more open. As they reached the top of the slope the trees parted, giving clear view onto the estate a little further down the road.

"Look, Tooru! We're finally there. That's the Iwaizumis' estate." 

Akemi pointed out of the window, smiling in relief. Within a moment Tooru had forgotten about pouting, face planted against the glass.

"It's small", he pointed out and his mother laughed.

"Well, we're still a mile away."

"No, it's smaller than the last one", he insisted, eyeing the house in the distance.

"Lord Iwaizumi is one of the lesser nobles, but he fought alongside your father and he's respected by everyone. Not everything is about size."

She pinched Tooru's cheek and the boy squealed, batting her hand away. Akemi pinched him again, this time in his side.

"I said stop! You're wrinkling my yukata!" Tooru hastily smoothed out his clothing, glaring at his mother. Still Akemi couldn't help but smile.

Her son was an unusual omega where most matters were concerned, but when it came to how he looked he already cared more than his sister. It was obvious that he'd grow into a handsome man and combined with the effort he put into his appearance he was going to be quite the sight. But right now, he was just her cute little son who hopefully would make a new friend today. Finally.

As the estate grew closer, they could see that its inhabitants were already gathered outside, awaiting their arrival. Tooru pressed his faces up against the glass to get a better look at the small group of people. Two tall figures were standing in front, probably the lord and his wife, their servants waiting a few steps behind. But Tooru's eyes glued to the smallest one, almost hidden behind his father. That had to be Lord Iwaizumi's son. Tooru squinted his eyes. From the distance he couldn't exactly make out his face, but it probably wasn't much to look at anyway.

When the carriage came to halt Tooru had to keep himself from leaping out of the door and the cramped-up space of the coach. Instead he waited until his mother had exited, then he followed. He quickly straightened his clothes again before they approached the family. Everyone bowed, a sight Tooru had become accustomed to. He scanned the faces of the people in front of him. Lord Iwaizumi was a tall, broad-shouldered man with dark brown hair and a mustache. He was probably in his early forties if he had fought together with the king. At least he had the same stern gaze and radiated authority. But the smile he greeted Tooru and his mother with was warm and sincere.

"We are honoured to welcome you in our humble home, Akemi-sama. I hope your voyage was safe and not too bothersome."

"It was fine, thank you for your concern, Ryota-san", Akemi replied with a graceful smile. The long sleeves of her red kimono swayed as she gestured towards Tooru. "May I introduce, this is Tooru, my youngest son. I brought him with me, so he could learn more of our land."

"An honour to meet you." Ryota indicated a bow towards him. "This is my wife, Iwaizumi Amari."

Amari was only a little smaller than her husband, her jet-black hair falling down her back freely. She looked kind, but her back was straight like a soldier's and she carried herself with confidence.

"Welcome to the east, Prince Tooru. You've grown a lot since I last saw you."

At Tooru's confused look she chuckled and glanced at Akemi. "My own son was born while I was at the capital, not long before your mother was due with you. So, last time I saw you, you were only two weeks old, lying in a cradle next to Hajime."

"But he sure has grown, too", Akemi remarked, and Amari nodded.

"Hajime, come and greet our guests like a proper host."

The boy Tooru had seen from the carriage stepped forward. So, he indeed was the lord's son. The resemblance to his father was hard to miss. He had the same angular facial structure and sturdy figure, but his hair was a wild mess of onyx spikes, courtesy of his mother. Tooru would have bet money that Hajime was an alpha, too. He'd probably be a knight like his father when he got older.

As Tooru scanned him he noticed that the other boy had dirt on his pants. His nose crinkled. That boy clearly didn't know how to properly present himself, especially in front of guests.

"Hajime, this is Tooru. He is the second prince of Seijoh", Ryota introduced his guests.

"Nice to meet you." Hajime eyed him up, head cocked a little to the side. "You look like one of my friend's dolls."

"Hajime!", his father scolded as Tooru stared at him dumbfounded.

"I beg your pardon?"

Hajime shrugged. "It's true. He's like one of Yui's porcelain dolls. Dressed up nicely with a white, pretty face."

Tooru didn't know if he should be insulted or flattered and looked at Lord Iwaizumi who bowed before him and his mother again.

"I apologize for my sun's bluntness. Hajime has a habit of always speaking his mind, no matter if it's appropriate."

"Don't worry, I also know someone who loves to say just whatever he wants", Akemi said with a glance at her son.

"Then let me show inside. We have a meal prepared for you. You must be hungry after your long travel."

"Oh, thank you. Do you still grow your own tea in your garden?", Akemi asked, and Amari nodded.

"Yes, I remember you were quite fond of it on your last visit." They turned towards the house. "Does that little tea shop on the corner of the market still exist?"

Tooru moved to follow his mother and the others, but suddenly Hajime was blocking his path.

"Hey, do you wanna see something cool? My parents are only going to talk about boring adult stuff with the queen for hours. It's no fun."

Tooru was used to quietly sitting beside his parents during banquets, but playing sounded a lot more fun after days of being confined to a carriage. Even if it was with this strange boy in front of him. Still he eyed Hajime warily. He wasn't sure what this boy considered fun, in such a remote place like this.

"What do you want to show me?"

"It's a surprise." Hajime swivelled around and called after his parents. "I'm going to the gardens with Tooru."

The adults halted to the stairs to the front door, looking back.

"Are you comfortable with Hajime showing Tooru the gardens alone?", Amari asked the queen.

"You mean because he's...? No, Hajime being an alpha won't be a problem, but- well, Tooru is very picky with his play mates."

She sighed. Akemi raised a brow but didn't comment on it. Instead she called to her son that he should take care of Tooru before they disappeared into the house.

"Great, let's go!" Hajime grabbed Tooru's hand and pulled the startled boy along.

On the backside of the house was a beautifully arranged garden with small patches of grass and moss and paths between them and a small pond in the middle. Tooru marvelled at the cherry trees surrounding it. That looked like a great place to sit down and read.

But Hajime didn't stop here, dragging him further across the grounds. Usually Tooru would have protested at being manhandled like this, but he was still in a kind of daze by the astonishment that was Iwaizumi Hajime. He wasn't used to other kids just running off to play with him. The other noble children at the palace were either only interested in him because of his status or afraid of it or they looked down at him for being an omega.

Hajime however wasn't bothered the slightest by any of this apparently. He'd said what he thought without hesitation, even if what he had said had been inappropriate. He certainly wasn´t walking on eggshells around him like Tooru was used to. It was refreshing.

They left the neat gravel paths and wandered further until the lawn was no longer manicured but growing into a wild meadow. It was surrounded by huge oak trees providing some shade, birds singing in the branches. The entire place was buzzing with life, butterflies floating through the air, bees flying from flower to flower, little bugs crawling everywhere. It was an intriguing sight for Tooru. Sure, they had a huge garden at the palace, but it was more like the small one right behind the Iwaizumi's house, everything perfectly shaped and trimmed. This, however, was a piece of real nature, wild and lively and free.

Tooru hadn't realized that he had stopped to stare until Hajime gently tugged at his hand.

"Come on, it's this way."

They walked across the meadow and Tooru briefly remembered that he shouldn't get any dirt on his yukata, but it was a fleeting thought. There was just too much to be seen.

"Do you come here often?", he asked, and Hajime nodded.

"Yup, almost every day. Sometimes I meet with some children from the village and we play catch in the fields."

"You play with the villager's children?"

"Of course. I have no siblings, so who else should I play with?"

"I have two siblings, but they never play with me", Tooru said, thinking of Minako giggling with her handmaidens over some alpha boy and Seiichi riding over the castle grounds in his armour with no regard of his younger brother.

"You have me to play now."

Tooru stared at Hajime who just went on like nothing had happened. He shook his head. This boy was strange, but he found himself minding less with every passing moment.

Hajime finally stopped in front of one of the oak trees, letting go of Tooru's hand and circling it.

"It has to be somewhere here, I saw it right before I heard that you were arriving." He stood on his tiptoes, peering up the bark. "I really hope it's still here."

"What?", Tooru asked, but Hajime just continued walking around the tree without bothering to answer. That was another new thing for Tooru. Whenever he asked for something at home at the castle there was someone to assist him in an instant. He never got ignored. Except by the people he actually wanted attention from.

"Hah!" Hajime's shout pulled Tooru out of his thoughts. The other boy was standing on the other side of the tree trunk, partly hidden from view, but his victorious exclaim made it clear that he had found what he'd been searching for. When he peaked around the tree, he had a wide toothy grin plastered all over his face.

"Ok, close your eyes and don't open them until I say so."

Something in Tooru bristled at being told what to do, but it was Hajime who said it, so it was okay. He placed his palms over his face and dutifully shut his eyes. He heard the other approaching, rustling around in front of him. Tooru curiously peered through his lashes, but Hajime slapped a hand over his.

"I said don't open them!"

"I'm not!", Tooru protested and Hajime huffed, but withdrew his hand.

"Okay, now you can look."

The prince slowly opened his fingers. His eyes focused on Hajime's hands. And in these hands was a huge, black, terrible creature.

"IIIEEEEHHH!", Tooru screeched, leaping backwards. "What the hell is that?!"

It clearly wasn't the reaction Hajime had expected and he looked at Tooru in a mixture of disappointment and confusion.

"It's a stag beetle. They're like super rare. Look, it has tiny antlers like a stag."

"Get that thing out of my face!" Tooru held his hands up in defence. He might have liked butterflies and maybe even lady bugs, but this was an ugly, scary little monster. Hajime thankfully finally got the hint and cradled his hands with the beetle against his chest.

"You don't like bugs?"

"No, why would I?", Tooru asked with shudder, still staring at little black thing in Hajime's hands.

"But they are so cool. There's like a hundred different kinds here in the meadow. I always catch them."

"Why?", Tooru asked incredulously, at loss why someone would voluntarily spend time doing anything with these things.

Hajime shrugged. "Like I said, they are cool. I like watching them crawl around or fly. They make a funny sound." He took a step forward and held the beetle out again. "You can see the tiny wings under the shell on his back."

"I told you to get that thing away from me!", Tooru hissed, taking another step backwards.

"But they don't do anything. It's totally harmless, see?" Hajime closed the distance between them again, insistently shoving his hands in Tooru's face.

"I said stop!" Tooru almost screamed and Hajime did. The prince was breathing hard, eyes blown wide and to his shock Hajime found tears brimming at their corners. He took a step back again, giving Tooru the space needed. Tooru furiously wiped at his eyes, ashamed and angry at himself for acting like a little baby. If his siblings could see him now, they'd laugh at him, that he was certain of.

But Hajime wasn't laughing or looking at him with judging eyes. He just stood there, a little lost and confused while Tooru composed himself again.

"I'm.. I'm sorry", he mumbled, glancing at the ground.

"Why do you apologize?", Hajime asked. "You did nothing wrong."

"But I shouldn't have shouted at you." Tooru had been raised better than this. He knew how to control himself. Usually.

"It's fine, I get plenty yelled at." The ease Hajime took his little outburst with helped Tooru relax again and he smiled sheepishly. When he met Hajime's eyes the other was studying him.

"Are you really afraid of bugs?", he asked, a tint of hesitancy in his voice. Tooru shrugged.

"I never liked them, but there are not many in our gardens, so it was okay. But when my sister found out she put an entire bag of bugs and spiders in my bed. She thought it was funny." He cringed at the memory of his bed crawling with too many creatures with too many legs. "I refused to sleep in that bed for over a week. I was terrified of even stepping into my room, fearing there would be insects everywhere again. My sister still teases me about that."

"That sounds cruel", Hajime said and Tooru shrugged again. "Look, I'm gonna put this one back and then we can go catch butterflies." He halted, squinting at Tooru. "You're not afraid of them, too, are you?"

"No." Tooru said, sighing in relief when Hajime turned to return the stag beetle to its tree.

They spent the next hour chasing after butterflies with a net Hajime fetched from a hideout between some bushes.

"This is my secret place", he said, voice hushed. "And now you're part of the secret, too."

The words made Tooru feel warm and special and he vowed to never tell anyone of it. Ever.

So, they ran around the meadow, Hajime teaching the prince how to get the butterflies without actually hurting them. Occasionally they also chased each other, tackling each other and rolling around in the grass. Tooru had long forgotten to worry about getting dirty and laughed and ran alongside Hajime just like any other kid.

When they tired of playing they sat down between the flowers to catch their breaths.

"This is so much fun", Tooru declared with a huge smile. "So much better than in the castle where I'm not allowed to run around or be loud."

"Really? I thought as prince you could do whatever you wanted."

"Yeah, you'd think that being a prince is a cool thing, but actually it's not. Not really.” Tooru sighed, making a face.” There's always someone watching what I'm doing, making sure I'm learning things I don't want to learn. I always have to be polite and sit still and do as I'm told. And when I don't have any lessons I can't even go out and play."

"What do you do then?", Hajime asked, watching a caterpillar crawl up a daisy.

"I have classes until lunch, geography and history and calligraphy, you know, then I eat lunch and then I just read or walk through the castle or I spend my time in the stable."

"Don't you have friends? Anyone to play with?"

"Not really", Tooru admitted, glancing at the ground. "There are very few noble children around my age and they are all totally stuck up. And I'm not allowed to play with the stable boys or scullery maids, because I'm a prince." He grimaced. "I once snuck out to play hide and seek with them in the yard and when they caught me, I was lectured for two hours straight how this was no appropriate behaviour, especially not for an omega."

"What does that have to do with being an omega?" Hajime casted Tooru a confused look. The prince sighed.

"It's the whole stupid 'Omegas are only supposed to sit still and look pretty' thing. Like, we're not allowed to like running around and climbing trees or fighting because omegas have to be all soft and sweet and brawling with someone is an 'alpha thing'."

"My mother is an omega and she spars with my father", Hajime objected.

"Really?" Tooru had never heard of an omega who fought and trained like an alpha. But it explained the way Amari moved and held herself. Like a fighter.  
Hajime nodded. "I guess here people don't look at the typical roles the same way they do in the capital. Mother always says that Aoba Johsai is filled with cranky old men who think they can dictate what others can and can't do."

Tooru snorted at that, thinking of his father's cabinet of advisers. 

“Your mother is right.”

“Is there really no one you can play with?”, Hajime asked again, still sounding incredulous. 

"Once there was some noble family visiting a court and they had an alpha son who was only a little older than me, so they thought it would be nice for us to play together. I was really happy that I finally had someone my age to play with and I asked him what he wanted to do, explore the castle or maybe play in the garden together, something like that. But he just laughed at me and asked why I didn't want to play with my dolls. I didn't understand what he meant. I didn't have any dolls. He said that omegas could only play with dolls because we're not made to do anything but look after children."

There was red hot rage burning in Tooru's eyes as he remembered the young alpha sneer at him. 

"He thought I was weak and fragile, so I decided to prove him wrong and punched him in the face as hard as I could. I always watch my older brother train, so I can punch people hard, too. It knocked that idiot right off his feet."

Hajime laughed and Tooru gave him a self-satisfied grin.

"He went running to his mother to cry about me hitting him. My parents were horrified and of course I was punished, but seeing his face as he realized I wasn't as weak as he had thought made it absolutely worth it. But it was another reason why I never had any friends. My parents were afraid I'd embarrass them again." He rolled his eyes. "So unfair. Like I was the problem and not that prick of an alpha."

"Maybe nobody wants to be your friend because you're whiny", Hajime said, making Tooru gasp in affront.

"I don't whine! You're so mean! Why can't you be nice to me?"

"That's exactly what I mean."

Tooru blew him a raspberry. "At least I know not to wear dirty pants when greeting the royal family."

Hajime looked down his own dirt-smeared clothes and then back at Tooru.

"Says the one with grass stains all over his yukata."

Tooru's eyes slowly trailed down his body. His eyes widened and he groaned.

"My mother's going to kill me."

He flopped onto his back and stared into the sky. He heard the grass rustling next to him as Hajime scooted closer.

"We could say that I pushed you down a hill", he suggested and Tooru turned his head to look at him.

"But you'll get in trouble."

Hajime just shrugged. "I often get in trouble, for staying out too long or dragging mud into the house when we have guests. I don't mind."

"That's so sweet of you", Tooru cooed, sitting up and throwing his arms around the baffled Hajime. "Iwa-chan can be nice after all."

"Iwa-chan?"

"You need a nickname! Iwaizumi is too long. What if I get attacked by one of your beetles and don't have the time to shout your entire name?"

"Why not just say Hajime?"

"It's an ugly name."

"Don't think that just because you're a prince I won't hit you", Hajime threatened, but Tooru just grinned at him.

"Don't be rude to your guest, Iwa-chan."

"Stop calling me that!"

"Iiii-waaa-chaaaaan!" Tooru dragged out every syllable, watching in satisfaction how Hajime's frown deepened.

"What, don't you like your new name, Iwa-chan?"

"That's it!" Hajime lunged forward, trying to grab Tooru by the front of his yukata, but the other boy quickly scooted backwards, scrambling to his feet to escape Hajime's wrath.

"Get back here, Shittykawa!" Hajime ran after Tooru, chasing him over the meadow while the prince chanted his new name over and over, laughing while Hajime shouted insults at him.

When he finally reached the prince, Hajime tackled him at full speed, sending both of them toppling to the ground. He rolled Tooru onto his back, pinning his wrists to the ground. For a few seconds he just stared at the boy below him, both of them breathing hard. Tooru's face was flushed from the exercise and his eyes were wide and full of mischievous sparkling.

"Guess you caught me, Iwa-chan", he said with a smirk and Hajime groaned.

"I told you to stop calling me that!" He glared at Tooru, but there was no real anger in his eyes. They were a deep green, Tooru noted, with specks of hazel scatted in them. Like the meadow they were lying in.

"Okay." He said, and Hajime raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Iwa-chan."

The other sighed in exasperation but didn't object and finally loosened the grip on his wrists. Tooru grinned as he sat up, knowing that he had won.

Hajime picked one of the dandelions dotting the meadow with white specks. He took a deep breath and sent the seeds flying like little parachutes. Tooru watched them in awe before grabbing another one. He giggled when some of the fluff landed in Hajime's hair, even more when the boy shook his head like a dog to get rid of them. His hair was now even more of a mess and Tooru resisted the urge to reach out and run his fingers through the dark strands. They were like Iwa-chan himself, wild and doing whatever they wanted.

Hajime glared at the laughing Tooru. Then he picked another dandelion and blew it directly into the other's face. Tooru sputtered and coughed, his mouth full of fluff.

"What the hell Iwa-chan?!" He spit the remaining seeds out, wiping his mouth with his sleeve. Now it was his time to glare while Hajime grinned back at him. "You're so mean. Why is it that you only laugh when you're making me miserable?"

"Isn't that what friends do? Play tricks on each other and stuff? And it's not like you haven't been mean to me, too", Hajime said, crossing his arms defensively. But the prince just stared at him. Hajime had called him friend. His friend. Tooru couldn't quite believe it, but he was certain that he heard Hajime say exactly that.

"Something wrong? You look like you've seen a dragon, Shittykawa", Hajime remarked, waving a hand in front of Tooru's face. He blinked, a small blush spreading across his face.

"It's nothing, just...I've never been someone's friend before", he mumbled. "Well, my sister sometimes let me tag along with her friends when I was smaller, but that doesn't count."

"Then from now on I'm your first and only friend!", Hajime declared, his smile now proud and wide. "And I'm going to be the best friend you'll ever have. If you ever have any other friends."

"And I'll be your best friend, too. Iwa-chan and I will be the bestest friends to ever exist!"

The prince beamed at him and all Hajime could do was stare. Tooru's smile was radiant. He hadn't paid attention to it before, but now he wondered how he had ever missed this. The way his mouth pulled up almost impossibly wide, how his eyes crinkled at the corners, little dimples showing in his rosy cheeks. It lit up Tooru's entire face, making him shine like a small star. Hajime felt himself drawn to it like a planet into the sun's orbit, unable to resist its pull and fated to keep circling around it until the universe itself vanished. Although staying with Tooru for ever didn't sound that bad. Not when he was smiling like that at Hajime.

"Ugh, shut your mouth or you'll start to drool. I don't want Iwa-chan's drool all over me! Gods, what's it with you alphas?" Tooru's nagging voice broke Hajime free of the spell he was under and brought him back to reality. The prince was no longer smiling but looking at him with a mixture of disgust and amusement. Hajime snapped his mouth shut.

"I don't drool, but if I did I would make sure it got all over you!"

"You can't say something like that when we just decided to be best friends! I feel like you don't even know what being friends means", Tooru complained, leaning back on his arms.

"Says the boy who literally has never had a single friend in his life."

"See, that's what I'm talking about!" Hajime had to repress a grin at the way Tooru scrunched up his face. "You have to be nice to me now, Iwa-chan."

Hajime snorted, earning him another scowl from the prince. He had absolutely no concept of friendship, it was almost adorable. And Hajime found it was really funny to mess with him.

"Says who?"

"Common sense, Iwa-chan. Friends are the people who are nice to you and enemies are the ones who are mean. So, you have to be nice or you'll be my enemy. And I'll crush all of my enemies!", Tooru declared with a conviction that almost made Hajime burst out laughing again. But as he studied the other boy, his face set in determination and confidence, he thought that he might actually be able to. One day.

"Whatever you say, Shittykawa", he replied instead, satisfied with the frustrated huff Tooru blew out. The prince was not the only one who knew how to get the other riled up.

Tooru shook his head and sighed. "Since Iwa-chan doesn't know how to treat his friends, I'm gonna show you how to do it properly."

Hajime raised an eyebrow. Tooru of course noticed his doubtful look and smiled at him again, but this time there was more than pure glee gleaming in his eyes. He scooted closer.

"Friends do and say nice things to each other. Like, give them candy or tell them that they look nice. You should try that for once."

"Get lost!"

"You really aren't a natural at this, huh Iwa-chan?", Tooru chirped. "You're too grumpy. Here, let me show you."

"H-hey, what are you doing, you dumbass?", Hajime spluttered as Tooru leaned in even closer, resting a hand on his arm. The prince gazed intently at him for a moment and Hajime met his chocolate brown eyes, unable to look away. Up this close he noticed the faint smell clinging to Tooru. It was kind of sweet, yet nothing like the flowers surrounding him. Foreign, but still somehow familiar, like a memory of a long forgotten dream.

"You have very pretty eyes, Iwa-chan", Tooru stated in all seriousness, then drew back with a satisfied smile on his face. "See, that's how you do it."

Hajime blinked, then he shook his head. "That's how you make people run away. No wonder nobody wants to be your friend."

Tooru crossed his arms and blew another raspberry at him. Without hesitation Hajime reached for another dandelion and blew it in Tooru's face. He squealed, grabbing a fist full of a grass and threw it at Hajime in retaliation.

For a moment they just sat there, wiping dandelion fluff and grass of their faces, but as soon as they caught a glimpse of each other they burst out laughing.

"See, that's what friends do", Hajime said, giggling.

"So uncivilized." Tooru was struggling to sit up with laughter still shaking him, a huge smile gracing his features as he looked at the other. "I love it."

Their laughter slowly died down and a comfortable silence fell over them. Hajime's gaze lingered on the boy beside him who was looking at the clouds hunting each other in the sky. He was not what Hajime had expected when his parents had told him that they'd have the prince as guest for the following week, but as it had turned out Oikawa Tooru was really fun to be around. A little strange maybe, whiny and determined and scared and confident and cocky and innocent, all at the same time. He fascinated Hajime. Tooru was unlike any other person he knew. It was only natural that he wanted to get to know him better.

Next to him Tooru shivered, wrapping his arms around himself against the wind that had picked up. His clothes were not made to be worn outside for a long time and he could feel the temperature drop through his thin sleeves. Hajime noticed his discomfort.

"Are you cold?"

Tooru nodded. "We've been out longer than I'm used to."

Just then Hajime realized that the sun was already about to set. He stared at the horizon in disbelieve. Neither of them had noticed how fast time had flown by while they had played. He was surprised that nobody had come looking for them yet.

"We should probably go back, dinner will be ready soon", he said, stretching his arms and pushing himself off the ground. Tooru looked relived and Hajime suspected that he wouldn't have admitted that he wanted to go back inside if Hajime hadn't suggested it.

As if on cue they heard a voice calling them from the house. The boys looked at each other and Hajime offered his hand to Tooru. He took it and let himself be hauled to his feet, marvelling at how effortless Hajime could pull him up. He didn't let go of his hand when he was standing, and Hajime didn't retract his either. He just pulled Tooru along as he took off towards his home, just like he had when he´d brought the prince to the meadow earlier. Back then Tooru hadn't noticed how strong Hajime's grip was or how his hands were all rough and calloused from playing outside all day long. It was kind of a nice feeling, actually.

"We'll come back here tomorrow, right?", Tooru asked, trying and failing to hide the anticipation in his voice.

"Of course, we will", Hajime said determinedly, and the prince beamed. It made Hajime want to smile, too. "I'm gonna show you so many more cool things."

Tooru pulled a face at the memory of the stag beetle and now Hajime actually laughed.

"No more bugs, I promise."

"Promise?" Tooru eyed him suspiciously and Hajime did his best to look serious and convincing. He squeezed Tooru's hand.

"Promise."  
~~~~~~~~  
To say that Akemi was surprised when her son came to dinner dirty and dishevelled, but with an impossibly wide smile, declaring that Hajime was his best friend now, would have been an understatement. Her son had never made any friends at the palace, being right out hostile to any other young alpha introduced to him. Yet here he was, in his grass-stained clothes, holding tightly onto Hajime's hand.

It stunned her even more when she witnessed the two boys bantering shamelessly over the entire course of their dinner. Akemi was used to Tooru snapping at anyone who in any way talked down to him. The first time she had heard Hajime call Tooru a dumbass she had been shocked, expecting her son to sharply put him in place, but Tooru had just placed a hand on his chest in mock offence, his "So mean, Iwa-chan!" lacking any real affront. Hajime had just rolled his eyes and they had gone back to rapidfire-talking to each other.

The nickname was another new thing. It implied a closeness between the boys after just a few hours that Tooru had been unable to form with anyone in years. Akemi wasn't sure whether to be delighted or alarmed. Hajime´s parents seemed a little exasperated, but not surprised at their son's lack of respect for the prince. It was not like he didn't have any respect for the royal family in general, but apparently to Hajime Tooru was just another boy in fancy clothes. And for Tooru, that was apparently exactly what he needed.

When it was time for the children to retire, neither of the boys were willing to give up each other's company.

"It has been a long day for prince Tooru, he needs to rest. And so do you", Amari tried to reason, but Hajime crossed his arms in defiance.  
"Why can't we sleep in the same room?"

"Tooru sleeps in his own room because for one it's not appropriate and secondly if we let you two sleep in the same room you'll just stay up the entire night", Akemi explained and Tooru pouted.

"And if we promise not to talk?", he tried, staring at the adults with big pleading eyes. This look had gotten him out of many unpleasant situations and into getting whatever he wanted. Usually.

But this time Akemi shook her head. "You two can't sleep together, end of discussion." At the disappointed faces of the boys she added, "You two can play the entire day tomorrow and the day after, too, but you need to go to sleep now or else you'll be too tired tomorrow to even go outside. You don't want that, do you?"

"No!" Both of them shook their heads vehemently. Then Tooru's face lit up.

"Hey, we can still visit each other in our dreams. That way we can play together even when we're sleeping."

Hajime made a contemplative face. "Are you sure it works that way?"

"Totally. We can build our own castle out of clouds or catch giant butterflies!"

"Just make sure you don't get lost, I'm not waiting for you."

"You won't have to, because I'll already be right there."

Amari and Akemi watched their sons with fond smiles on their faces.

"I'm already glad we came here", the queen said quietly. Amari nodded.

"They are great together. I don't know why you ever worried." She watched how Tooru flung his arms around Hajime who pulled an annoyed face, but Amari noticed that he hugged the prince back just as tightly. "There's nothing that could separate those two now."

~~~~~~~~

The next day Hajime stood in Tooru's room before the sun had fully risen. The prince was not at all amused to be woken this early, but as soon as he realized who the culprit was and what they were going to do today, he was out of bed within a second. He was not a morning person, but the prospect of being able to play with his new friend all day long erased any trace of tiredness.

None of the adults were awake yet, so Hajime quietly showed Tooru around the house. He had seen most of it on the day before, but sneaking around with Hajime telling him about everything was fun. He felt like one of the legendary ninjas. When they reached the kitchen, they were greeted by the smell of freshly baked bread. In here the staff was already at work to prepare breakfast for the lord and his guests. Still Hajime managed to snatch some apples from one of the countertops and they ran to the courtyard, trying to shush each other's giggles.

"Do you do that often?", Tooru asked curiously, taking one of the apples Hajime offered him. "You're pretty good at stealing food."

The boy shrugged. "Sometimes, when I'm hungry but my parents won't let me have a snack. And sometimes when I'm just bored."

"Don't you have the village kids to play with?"

"Yeah, but during farming season they have to help their parents and I'm left here alone since my parents are often busy and I have no siblings", Hajime explained, taking a bite out of his own apple.

"You're not really missing anything", Tooru said, mood already souring at the thought of his own siblings.

"I don't know, I'd like to have a big brother. We could play together, and he could teach me how to fight and hunt and stuff. That would be pretty cool", Hajime said, but Tooru rolled his eyes and scoffed.

"I have an older brother and he doesn't want to have to do anything with me. He's nine years older than me and he can do all sorts of cool things, but he always acts as if he knows everything and I don't know anything." His voice now had a resentful edge to it. "He says he doesn't need me interrupting his preparations to become the mightiest king that has ever ruled Seijoh."

"He sounds like a jerk", Hajime remarked, eliciting a chuckle from Tooru.

"It´s just how he is. He's been set up to rule since he was little and he's probably even going be good at it, but he always has to rub it in my face that he's the crown prince and I'm just his little brother."

"I think you'd make a great king."

The declaration left Tooru stunned for a second, a faint blush spreading across his cheeks. He smiled at Hajime.

"Look at that, Iwa-chan can be nice if he wants."

"I take back what I just said."

When breakfast was announced to be ready the boys ran inside to join their parents. They wolfed their food down as quickly as possible. Their parents scolded them, but all they wanted was to get outside again and back to the meadow. Akemi and Amari shared a long-suffering look before allowing them to leave. Their cheers could be heard across the entire house.

They arrived at the meadow together with the sun and they spent the time playing until it was high in the sky. Having seen his brother train Tooru picked up sticks for him and Hajime as makeshift swords and they fought against each other. Neither of them had any experience with real weapons, but Hajime had played with sticks for swords before and it was easy enough to clash them together and try to poke the other.

Soon they were sweaty from all the exercise, but they didn't care. It was fun. That was until Hajime accidentally hit Tooru on the fingers with his stick. The prince insisted he was fine despite the pain making his eyes water, not wanting their game to end.

But, of course, Hajime wasn't buying his act. Instead he carefully examined his wounded hand and after assessing the damage he led them to a small stream a little further away from the estate. The water was cold but clear and a relief to Tooru's throbbing fingers.

Soon the pain receded, and he let out a sigh of relief. He gave his friend a grateful smile. Hajime only told him to be quicker with his defence next time. To which Tooru responded by splashing him with water and a second later they were both standing knee-deep in the stream, trying to douse the other with as much water as possible. Within moments they were both soaked to the bone, yet another of Tooru's Yukata's ruined, not that that mattered to either of them. Only when both their teeth started chattering from the cold water the boys agreed on a truce. They laid down on the grass next to the stream to let their clothes dry at least a little bit before they were to head back for lunch.

Hajime unceremoniously stripped out of his simple shirt since it was wet and clinging to his skin before flopping down onto the grass. When he noticed Tooru stare at him with a bewildered expression he sat back up, raising his eyebrows at the prince.

"What?"

Tooru shook his head, averting his eyes shyly. "I've never seen anyone else, you know, without clothes."

"Really? I always go swimming in the lake nearby with my friends in the summer when it gets too hot and we never wear anything."

Tooru looked a mixture of shocked and intrigued.

"Everyone together?"

"Yeah?", Hajime said, unsure why the prince was asking such things. "Why?"

"Mother and my teachers say it's not appropriate for anyone to see you without clothes. Especially not alphas."

"Your mother says that about a lot of things", Hajime remarked. Tooru shrugged.

"It's just the way things are at home. There's like a huge list of things you can't do because everyone will hate you if you do them. Even if they are fun."

"Well, here you can do anything you want. I don't mind if you don't have anything on", Hajime said, lying back down and closing his eyes. Tooru looked at him for another moment, then he started stripping off his clothes, too, leaving him in just his underwear. It was the first time he was practically naked in front of someone who was not a nanny, but Hajime wasn't even paying attention to him, just basking in the sun. With a smile Tooru joined him and for a while they were just enjoying the warmth and peace.

Their little rest was cut short when Hajime's stomach started growling. Tooru promptly made fun of him, but since he had grown hungry too, and it was almost time for lunch anyway they decided to go back to eat. They put their clothes back on, Hajime helping his friend with his yukata.

"Why does this have to be so complicated?", the young alpha huffed.

"Oh, that's nothing. These ones are only for traveling, the ones I wear at home have even more layers. And for the really special times there are robes that take like forever to put on."

Hajime shook his head. The people in the capital were strange.

"How can someone even move properly with all that fabric on you?"

"They are not made for running around, silly Iwa-chan. We wear them for ceremonies and stuff only. Which is really sad because they are beautiful." Tooru smiled, seeing his richly embroidered royal dress before his inner eye.

"I'm never gonna wear such a thing", Hajime vowed, crossing his arms. "You can't run in them. That's why I'm gonna be back at the house first."

With that he took off, leaving Tooru gaping for a second before the prince sprinted after his friend.

"That's not fair!", he shouted, but Hajime only laughed. They raced over the meadow and through the garden, Hajime always a few steps ahead but Tooru was hot on his heels. They reached the stairs leading to the back entrance almost at the same time, Hajime just a heartbeat faster. They were both panting as they leaned against the wooden railing.

"I won!", the young alpha exclaimed in between heavy breaths.

"Only because you got a head start", Tooru complained, pointing an accusatory finger at him. "That's cheating!"

"You were just too slow. You have the reflexes of a slug."

"At least I don't look like one."

Hajime stuck out his tongue at him and Tooru pinched him in the side in retaliation, frowning when he didn't get the anticipated reaction.

"Aren't you ticklish?"

Hajime shook his head with a proud smile. "No. Never have been."

Tooru pinched him again. Hajime batted his hand away but didn't seem otherwise bothered by it.

"That's not fair either. Iwa-chan must has some weakness, too."

Before Hajime could deny having any weaknesses at all, Akemi stepped out of the door.

"Ah, you're back. Wonderful, you-", she halted, eyeing her son with widening eyes. "What happened to your clothes?!"

Tooru looked down his damp, dirt-splattered yukata and smiled sheepishly.

"They got a little wet, I guess. When we played at the stream."

"A little? At this rate all of your clothes are going to be ruined before our visit has ended!"

"What's wrong?" Amari appeared beside the queen. When she noticed the boys ragged looks, she sighed.

"You look like you had a lot of fun, huh?"

"We did", Hajime answered truthfully and Tooru nodded eagerly.

Amari shared a glance with the still upset Akemi, then she motioned for the boys to come in.

"Let's get you cleaned up before we eat and for the afternoon Tooru can borrow some of Hajime's clothes. They should fit and it's not as dramatic if they get dirty."

Akemi gave her son another disappointed once-over before she turned and walked back into the house. Tooru looked at his feet. He hadn´t meant to make his mother angry. He knew that she expected him to behave around their hosts, but playing with Hajime was just so much fun he simply forgot his princely education.  
Suddenly there was a source of warmth touching his hand. Glancing at it he found that Hajime had linked their hands and when he looked up again his friend smiled at him reassuringly. It seemed to say, "It's okay, I'm by your side, so there's nothing to worry about". Tooru gave him a small, grateful smile in return.

"Come on in, boys, or else your food will get cold." Amari was still waiting for them in the doorway, but unlike Tooru`s mother there was no judgement in her eyes when she looked at the prince. She was long used to her own son coming home with dirty clothes. Why should it be different with his new friend?

Hajime gave Tooru's hand another squeeze and together they headed up the stairs and inside.

~~~~~~~~

The afternoon was filled with an exploration of the forest on the other side of the meadow. Tooru was a little worried that they might get lost in the woods, but Hajime led them with easy confidence. He had come here often enough to know his way around.

They found new sticks to fight with, chasing each other around the trees. A some point the game morphed into several dozen rounds of hide and seek and although Hajime knew the area better he always had a hard time finding Tooru. The prince explained that at the palace he was an expert of not getting found when he didn't want to, always silently laughing at his teachers and supervisors from some niche he had found.

Hajime showed him what sorts of berries where eatable and how to best climb the trees surrounding them. After almost falling off several times Tooru finally got the hang of it, able to follow Hajime high up into the branches. When his friend challenged him to see who could climb the highest Tooru was determined to beat him this time. And he indeed did climb further. The problem was getting down again. And so Tooru found himself stuck fifteen meters above the ground, desperately clinging to the trunk of the tree. It took almost half an hour and a lot of coaxing from Hajime to get him back on solid ground.

"I can't believe you were too stupid to just climb down", he huffed. Tooru, seated on the leafy ground, glared up at him through eyes red from crying.

"I was not too stupid! I was just..." He didn't want to say scared. He was not a coward, but being stuck so far up had been terrifying.

"Just don't go higher than you're comfortable with next time, Idiotkawa", Hajime said, effectively masking his own fear for his friend with annoyance. The insult-nickname elicited a shaky giggle from Tooru.

"I'll just stay with Iwa-chan next time. I can't leave you behind again." His humour was returning, and it replaced Hajime's faked annoyance with real one.  
"No matter how far you go, you won't ever manage to leave me behind!"

Tooru giggled again, wiping at his eyes. He was still a little shaken from his adventure, but Hajime's words gave him a feeling of security, similar to what he had felt when he had taken his hand at lunch.

"I'll do my best not to."

They didn't stay out much longer. With the rush of adrenaline wearing off Tooru felt as if he had leaden weights tied to his limbs and his head hurt a little from the crying. Hajime looked as if he didn't want to play anymore either, so he suggested returning to the house. Hajime agreed and offered his hand, pulling Tooru to his feet yet again and they slowly made the journey back through the woods.

When they arrived they both could hardly keep their eyes open. At dinner Tooru sagged against Hajime´s side and he had to elbow him to keep his friend from falling asleep right then and there. They didn't even have the energy to protest against the separated-rooms-rule again, both asleep the moment they hit the mattress.

Their parents agreed that they should let them play all day more often.

~~~~~~~~

Over the next few days they developed a kind of rhythm, a routine they followed as surely as the sun followed its path. The boys would wake up before it even rose and return only when the last light of the day had vanished. The only time their parents actually saw them was dinner and lunch. And not even that was a given as they two tended to just sneak some food from the kitchen in the morning and eat it whenever they got hungry during the day.

The queen was concerned about her son staying out in the wild grounds the entire time, but Amari assured her that Hajime knew them inside out and that Tooru was safe with him. The young alpha was protective by nature and no matter how wild the play, he would never let anything harm the prince. 

Hajime showed Tooru more of the estate grounds, leading him along small paths over hills and fields and even up to the small village Hajime had talked about. But for the most part they stayed in the meadow with the occasional trip into the adjacent woods. While Tooru was still a little wary about all the trees after his climbing incident, the meadow had easily become his favourite place.

“In the entire world”, as he claimed with a huge smile. To which Hajime responded that he was a dumbass because this was already his favourite place. Tooru’s smile only grew.

“Maybe it's my favourite place exactly because of that.”

Hajime didn't know what to say after that. Tooru had caught him off guard with his words, so he quickly grumbled another “Idiot” and turned way to hide the faint pink on his cheeks.

This was one of the things Hajime had learned about the prince over the past few days. Tooru was very good with words. He always seemed to know exactly what to say to get what he wanted. He had even talked his mother into staying a day longer than initially intended, claiming that it would help him understand the local customs better.

Hajime wasn't like that. He much rather let actions speak for himself, but he admired Tooru for his talent. Or maybe it was just something he had learned and honed from very early on at the court. 

He had found that Tooru loved to use this skill to annoy him endlessly. He teased and taunted him at every given opportunity, but always drew back quickly when he saw that Hajime was actually getting irritated. And oddly enough Hajime enjoyed the little wars they fought by words. He was quick witted, despite what Tooru liked to say, and trading insults back and forth with him was more fun than he would have ever thought.

And when Hajime ended up chasing Tooru across the meadow for something especially stupid he had said, both of them were always laughing, even when Hajime tackled his friend and they tussled for a while.

Akemi fretted over the bruises he came back with every evening, but Tooru wore them like batches of honour. They were proof and reminder of his adventures with Hajime after all. And even if his body ached at the end of the day from all the exercise and little accidents, they were worth it. Every second with Hajime was worth it.

During the dinner on their fifth day Lord Iwaizumi suggested riding out the next day to a clearing in the forest to show his guests, Tooru in particular, some more of his lands. The proposal was accepted with great excitement from the boys and amused smiles from their mothers. Tooru had seen the stables on his first day and hoped for an opportunity to set foot into them ever since. He loved horses. They were powerful and majestic creatures and the feeling of thundering across the earth on the back of a mighty stallion was incomparable. It was freedom, the only one he had at home in the castle.

"Do you like horses?", he asked Hajime while the adults were planning out the details of their trip.

"Yes, they are great. I actually have my own mare, Saya. She's amazing." Hajime smiled as he spoke of his horse, his voice uncharacteristically soft. "My father taught me to ride as soon as I could walk. It's the fastest way to get around here and the next bigger city is at least an hour away."

"I have a horse, too, back at the castle. He's a full-blooded Arabian stallion. My parents gave him to me as a gift when I was seven, because a prince has to be able to ride." Tooru broke into a grin. "It was the best gift I've ever gotten."

"I was there when my horse was born. She is the daughter of father's mare, so he thought it would only be right for me to ride her. I was the first one to ever put a saddle on her back."

Tooru could see how proud Hajime was of this. It was evident in his shining eyes, brighter than he had ever seen them. Hajime truly loved his horse, just like he did. His heart warmed at the thought.

"I can't believe you haven't shown her to me yet!", he said, casting an accusatory look at his friend. 

"You never asked."

"I didn't even know you could ride, Iwa-chan. For all I knew you could've been a horse hater."

Hajime looked seriously insulted. "How can you even hate horses? They are amazing!"

"You would be surprised!", Tooru said, grimacing. "My sister doesn't like riding at all. She thinks horses are dirty and scary."

"And she calls you a baby for being afraid of bugs", Hajime snorted. Tooru batted his shoulder.

"Hey, I'm not afraid of them!"

"Should I go fetch a beetle? I saw some on the cherry trees outside."

"No!", Tooru hissed instantly and Hajime grinned at him.

"See? You are afraid."

Tooru just cast him a glare and turned back towards his food.

~~~~~~~~

The next morning the house was already buzzing when Hajime woke up. Servants were preparing food and equipment for a pleasant ride over the grounds and he could hear his parents and the queen talking in the hall.

But instead of joining them Hajime walked over to the room at the end of the corridor, carefully sliding the door open. The guest room was not very impressive, with a simple dresser, table and a tatami mat as bed. And on that mat was a small, curled up figure.

Almost completely hidden by the blankets, Tooru's chestnut hair was the only visible part of him. Hajime quietly approached his friend. With a grin he crouched down so he was on the same level.

For a moment he just watched him, his peaceful face, the steady rise and fall of his chest beneath the blankets. Wrapped up like that Tooru looked like a caterpillar in one of the cocoons he sometimes found on a branch in the meadow. It was weirdly endearing.

But not for long, because Hajime took a deep breath, leaning over Tooru's head and shouted at the top of his lungs.

"WAKE UP SLEEPYHEAD!"

Tooru shot up, eyes wide and befuddled. He frantically whipped his head around to find the source of the sudden noise, his flailing arms getting tangled in the sheets.

"Wha... what...what? What is going on?"

Next to him Hajime was on the floor, howling with laughter. He had known that waking Tooru up this way would be amusing, but he had underestimated just how funny his reaction would be. Tooru's hair was sticking up every direction and he was still mostly wrapped in his blanket. He looked absolutely ridiculous.

The prince's brain had finally caught up with what was happening and now he was glaring at the laughing Hajime.

"Iwa-chan! Don't scare me like that! Can't you just wake me up normally like any nice person would?"

Hajime attempted to look guilty, but one glance at Tooru's bedhead sent him into another fit of laughter.

"Don't laugh at me!", Tooru hissed and Hajime took a deep breath to calm down a little, although he was still giggling.

"Sorry, it's just...your hair!"

He laughed again as Tooru angrily combed his fingers through the mop of russet, trying to bring some order into his wild locks. It was futile though, strands still sticking out into every direction from under his hands.

"I could say the same about yours every day, at every hour, but I have the manners not to say that you look like a goblin", Tooru huffed, crossing his arms. Hajime shrugged.

"I don't care how my hair looks. Mother always tries to flatten it, but it gets tousled anyway when I play outside, so why bother?"

"Maybe to not look like an idiot?"

"How about you take a look in the mirror?"

Blushing, Tooru started to fuss with his hair again. Hajime just watched him with a grin.

"Don't look so smug, Iwa-chan. You're even worse, so at least one of us has to look decent."

Hajime's eyes were still fixed on Tooru as he slowly managed to tame the tangle of his locks and style them into his usual fluffy waves. 

"Why do you even care so much about how you look?"

The question made Tooru turn his head in surprise, fingers stilling atop his hair.

"One's appearance is important, Iwa-chan. Especially at home in the castle. Everybody pays very close attention on how the others are dressing. And as prince they are looking at me even more, so I have to make sure that my hair's not a mess and that there are no stains on my clothes and that the colours match..." He trailed off, implying that there was even more to be considered. "I have to make a good impression and for that I have to look good."

Hajime found that the court sounded like a very weird, boring place.

"I think you already look pretty as you are", he said. "And you made a good impression on me without your fancy clothes."

Tooru squinted at him in suspicion, searching for any hint of mockery or dishonesty in his voice or face. But Hajime appeared to be completely honest, like he always was. The prince received compliments fairly often, yet something in Tooru's chest fluttered at being called pretty by Hajime.

If he noticed Tooru being flustered, Hajime didn't show it. He just got up, offering a hand to his friend. Tooru gladly took it.

"I can't wait to see Saya!", he told Hajime who promptly smiled.

"I can't wait to show her to you."

~~~~~~~

After breakfast the entire party headed to the stables. Horses had already been prepared for the queen and her son, but the Iwaizumi family had yet to saddle their horses.

"I always take care of Saya completely on my own", Hajime explained to Tooru as they walked past the boxes. "Father says because she is my horse alone, she is also my responsibility alone. But I really don't mind. I like taking care of her."

He stopped in front of one of the doors and Tooru could already catch a glimpse of chestnut fur. An impatient huff sounded from inside and Hajime grinned.  
"She's already waiting for us."

"How does she know that it's you?", Tooru asked curiously, peeking through between the planks of the door.

"She always knows when it's me."

Hajime opened the gate and stepped inside. Tooru hesitated for a second on the threshold before following him. Hajime was already patting the neck of the tall mare standing in the centre of the box, gently running his fingers over her russet fur. He beckoned Tooru to come closer and he obliged, carefully approaching the unfamiliar horse.

Hajime smiled at them. "Saya, this is Tooru, he is a prince. And my new best friend. So be nice to him."

"Hello Saya", Tooru said, taking another step towards her until he stood right in front of her. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

Hajime chuckled at the prince's formal tone and took his hand. Tooru looked at him questioningly, but he just carefully placed it on Saya's neck. The prince started stroking it happily, her fur smooth under his fingers.

"She's beautiful, isn't she?"

"She is", Tooru breathed. And it was true. With her long legs and shining russet fur Saya looked fair and graceful, the hard muscles underneath evidence of her strength.

Tooru helped Hajime brush and saddle her, much to the latter's surprise.

"I didn't think you knew how to bridle a horse", he admitted as they led Saya out of the stable.

"You're not the only one who takes care of their horse themselves", Tooru said, the slightest bit of edge in his voice. "Of course, there's the stable boys for that, but Katsumi is my horse. And besides, he doesn't even let others saddle him. Only I can do that."

There was a kind of smug pride gleaming in his eyes as he spoke of his wayward horse.

"I can't come to feed and clean him every day, but when it comes to putting a saddle on Katsumi, he is very specific about who is allowed to do that. He has kind of a temper."

Hajime nodded. "Yeah, Saya can be really stubborn, too. She's always had a head of her own."

"Now, who does that remind me of?"

Hajime snorted, playfully punching Tooru's shoulder.

The adults were already waiting for them, all of them standing next to their own horses. Tooru could see the resemblance between Lord Iwaizumi's mare and Saya, both sharing the same gleaming russet fur. As Hajime mounted his horse he looked like a smaller copy of his father.

"Are all of you ready?", Iwaizumi Ryota asked, surveying the small party. Considering the fact that they had the queen and prince with them their escort was small, only a handful of sentries and servants, but the lord had assured Akemi that his grounds were safe. Hajime and Tooru were running around them every day, after all.

It was not a long distance from the house to the clearing they were heading to, but they were riding slowly, much to the boys´ chagrin. All they wanted was charge off into the forest.

"No, you can't ride ahead!", Amari said firmly when Hajime asked. "Tooru is not familiar with the area and knowing you, you two would probably start racing each other right through the woods."

Although they were denying it, Amari held firm against their pleas. Still they continued begging until Ryota stepped in to end the discussion once and for all.

"Hajime, I raised you better than to foolishly risk your and Tooru's life for some childish fun. I may have allowed you to play outside on your own, but if you keep insisting on being irresponsible we will have to deny you that in the future."

Hajime bowed his head in shame and nodded. The disappointed tone in bis father's voice was enough to silence any rebellious thoughts. He had great respect for his father, disappointing him by being irresponsible was the last thing he wanted.

Tooru, too, had shut up at the lord's stern words. He was right, kind off, and he didn't want Hajime to get in trouble with his father for his sake. And he really wanted to keep playing in the meadow with Hajime.

The rest of their trip passed without any further disturbance. Hajime spent the time telling Tooru about the different animals that lived here in the woods. He knew a lot about the local wildlife, having accompanied his father on several hunting trips. Tooru listened intently to his explanation of how foxes built their dens and how to tell apart different birds by their calls. And although he called Hajime weird for memorizing every single bird breed in the forest he secretly marvelled at his friend's knowledge and devotion to the subject. Omegas like him were not allowed to go hunting unless it was to keep their spouses entertained and he felt a pang of jealousy for the freedom Hajime was granted.

Soon the trees parted, revealing a broad clearing. The grass was a lush green, a creak gurgling quietly on the other end. A big willow stood in the centre, with wide sweeping branches providing shade. Tooru could even hear birds singing between the leaves. It was a beautiful place.

They set up camp under the broad willow branches, the servants covering the ground in blankets and pillows for the nobles to sit on. Hajime completely disregarded them, plopping down into the grass next to the massive trunk of the willow.

Tooru was still tying up his horse, refusing to let one of the servants help him. Even if it was not his own horse, he still seemed to value this tiny bit of independence. When he was finished he joined Hajime, leaning against the wood with a sigh.

"Aah, this is such a nice place. Why didn't you take me here sooner."

"I doubt father would have allowed that", Hajime said, recalling his stern words earlier.

Tooru's mouth was pursed into a pout. "But it's not such a long way, we could have walked here. What other pretty places are you hiding from me, huh, Iwa-chan?"

"I haven't hidden-", Hajime started, but then he noticed the mischievous spark in Tooru's eyes telling him that the prince was messing with him. He swatted at Tooru's arm. The prince just laughed. Hajime leaned back against the willow with a sigh, eyes scanning the clearing. It looked a lot like their meadow, but this place had a sort of calm the always buzzing meadow lacked.

"Hey, you wanna go exploring?"

Tooru perked up at the suggestion, nodding eagerly. They got up and made their way towards the opposite end of the clearing, their parents' calls not to go to deep into the forest lost to their ears.

Two hours later the two boys emerged from the woods again, covered in leaves and dirt, but both sporting wide satisfied grins.

"How do you always manage to get this dirty?", Akemi wondered, scanning her son's grime covered pants. "At home you never let a single crumb get onto your clothes and now-"

"But at home I have no forest to play in. And no one to play with", Tooru said, raising his and Hajime's joined hands. Akemi just now noticed that the boys had been holding hands the entire time. It astounded her every day anew how Tooru had grown so comfortable with Hajime in such little time. Her heart ached for her son when she thought about their departure in two days.

"Go wash your hands in the stream and then we can have lunch", Amari said. The boys took one look at the food the servants were currently unpacking and bolted towards the water.

During lunch Tooru told his mother about their trip through the forest, his voice filled with excitement when he recalled how they had followed fox tracks and then with admiration as he talked about how Hajime had used the sun and other markers to find their way back after getting a little lost.

"And then that bird landed on that branch right in front of us. It was so pretty. It had blue feathers all over his wings."

Tooru spread his arms visualize his words, his loose sleeves riding up his arms.

Akemi gasped. "Tooru! What happened to your arms?"

The prince looked down on his forearms, covered in scratches.

"Oh, that, I tripped and kind of skidded down the hill we were climbing. But it doesn't hurt anymore. At all", he quickly added at his mother's horrified expression.

"We need to bandage your arm up! What if those get infected? You have to be more careful!" Akemi grabbed her son's wrists to get a better look at the patchwork of scratches, eyes darting over his arms.

"I told you, it's fine", Tooru insisted. "Hajime already took care of me."

His words fell on deaf ears as his mother continued fussing over his wounds.

"I knew I shouldn't have let you run off alone like that. Of course, you would get hurt. These definitely need to be treated! Why do you always have to get into such trouble? Your brother would never-"

"You're right, I should clean my wounds", Tooru interrupted, harshly tugging his arms out of his mother's grip. He quickly got up, face schooled into a neutral expression, but Hajime hadn't missed the sudden burst of anger flaring up in Tooru's eyes. And it was still there, evident in his stiff posture and rapid steps as he walked over to the small stream.

"I'll help", he announced and quickly followed his friend, leaving the confused adults behind.

Tooru was kneeling at the edge of the water, furiously scrubbing at his arms. The water was tinted slightly red from the dried blood covering his scratches. Hajime hadn't been able to get everything off earlier.

"Hey, are you okay?" Hajime sat down next to him, eyeing his friend with a mixture of concern and curiosity. He'd never seen Tooru behave this way in front of his mother before.

"Splendid", Tooru spit out, not looking up. "Because, as you see, this is not a big issue and nothing to worry about and no reason to treat me like a baby."  
"Have I ever treated you like a baby?"

The question finally made Tooru look up, eyes a little softer now.

"No, I guess not", he muttered. "And I wasn't talking about you."

Hajime nodded. "Your mother is just worried about you. I think that's normal."

"She thinks I'm weak. That I have to be protected from the world because I'm a weak omega", Tooru bit back, the fury in his eyes back to full power.

"Aren't all mothers protective? Mama always makes a big fuss, too, when I get hurt-"

"You don't understand!" Tooru interrupted and the anger in his voice was now mixed with desperation. "At home I'm not even allowed to go to the garden without someone looking after me and making sure I'm okay. I'm not allowed to learn how to fight or go hunting or do anything that's dangerous is any way. I've asked a hundred times for permission to train like my brother and every time I was told no, as an omega I can't do that. I'm not made for battle. I'm too fragile!"

To Hajime's surprise he found tears brimming in Tooru's eyes. Yet they did not come from sadness but frustration at the obvious injustice. The prince angrily wiped at them.

"Everyone always treats me like I'm made of glass. Mother most of all. And every time I do something like this", he raised bis arms to show off his scratches, "she complains about how I am always misbehaving and so not like my perfect brother. But that's the problem! They don't let me be like my brother. Because he is an alpha and the heir and I'm just the unimportant omega son they'll marry off to whoever has the most power."

For a while there was silence, Tooru's words still hanging in the air. Hajime didn't know what to say. He had known that Tooru wasn't happy with being an omega, but he never thought it was this bad for him. And silently he agreed with Tooru. Not allowing him to do things Hajime saw as completely natural, like combat training, was unfair. The prince was smart and bright and strong, why would anyone think him less suited for it?

"You could try to change it", Hajime said and Tooru gave him a confused look. "Change the rules. Make them allow you to do all those things. You're a prince, you must have some power."

Tooru sighed. "It's not that simple."

"Why not? Your father is the king, if anyone can change the rules it's him. The king can do what he wants."

"What if the king thinks omegas are weak, too?"

"Then you've got to change his mind. Who else would be a better example to prove that omegas can be strong and amazing, too?"

His words finally painted a small smile onto Tooru's lips. With newfound conviction the prince pulled down his sleeves and straightened.

"You're right. I will prove to him and mother and anybody else that I am anything but weak and that I am just as fit to be king as my brother or any other alpha."

A full smile now spread over Tooru's face as he gripped Hajime's hands in his. "And you're gonna help me. We'll change the world together."

~~~~~~~~

"No, everything stays at is was." Akemi's arms were crossed, her features schooled into a stern expression, showing that there was no room for arguments. 

"Please mother! Just this once."

Akemi looked down at her son, eyes unwavering like her resolve.

"Tooru, we had that discussion before and I won't have it again. You and Hajime sleep in separate rooms."

Tooru looked like he very much wanted to have this discussion again, but after another second of glaring at his mother he adverted bis eyes.

"Fine", he muttered, trying not to show the depth of his disappointment. It was not like Tooru had expected his mother to be easily swayed, but with their departure creeping closer he had at least hoped that she would allow him that bit of extra time with Hajime.

Said boy was waiting at the door to the queen's room, greeting Tooru with an expectant expression. When he noticed the prince's sullen mood though his hopeful face dropped.

"She said no again?"

Tooru nodded. "I can say whatever I want, but she won't let me sleep with you. Sorry."

They shared a disappointed look, slowly walking down the corridor together. The sky outside was covered in thick clouds, ending the day early.

"I hope it doesn't storm tonight or else we might not be able to play outside tomorrow", Hajime said, eyeing the dark sky. Tooru looked horrified at the prospect.

"Looked inside the entire day with Iwa-chan? How am I supposed to survive that?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You smell like you spent the entire day in the stables."

"We did spend the day riding", Hajime reminder his friend.

"Doesn't mean you have to be stinky like that." Tooru made a show of wrinkling his nose. "You do know what a bath is, right Iwa-chan? Or do you not have that here in this dump?"

Tooru had the good sense to quickly jump back as Hajime aimed a jab at his side.

"Next time I'll push you into the stream and show you what a bath is!", Hajime growled, trying to land a punch, but Tooru kept dancing just out of his reach. Over the past days he had mastered the art of escaping Hajime's revenge, giggling while he let himself be chased around the hallway.

"Isn't it time for you two to go to bed?" Amari appeared around the corner of the hallway, the amusement in her voice betraying her stern expression.

"Not just yet", Hajime said, using the moment of distraction to seize Tooru by the collar and finally pinch him into the side. Tooru squealed and tried to wiggle out of his grasp, but Hajime held firm. Since he had found out that the prince was ticklish he used that knowledge against him at every opportunity. There was nothing Tooru could do against the random attacks Hajime would start on him, tickling him until he was writhing and crying with laughter.

"If you get hyped up like that you'll never sleep at all", Amari said, ending their little battle. "Even you two need some rest now and then."

If it were up to Tooru he would not sleep at all, spending every moment with Hajime. Sadly, it wasn't, like so many things he wished for. 

Outside, the quiet splatter of water hitting stone sounded. Amari look through the nearest window as singular droplets turned into a steady thrum.

"Looks like we're finally getting some rain. I just hope none of the trees get hit by lightning."

At her words Tooru tensed slightly in Hajime's grasp. He eyed the rain outside warily and Hajime cocked his head in confusion. But the next moment Tooru was smiling again at Amari.

"I would feel safer if we could sleep together", he said with wide innocent eyes, sidling closer to Hajime again.

Amari chuckled. "Nice try, Tooru, but you're still not staying in the same room tonight."

Tooru pouted, as he always did when he didn't go his way. It was a both annoying and endearing habit. Hajime could never decide if he wanted to punch or hug Tooru when he pulled that face.

"Come on Hajime, say good night to Tooru and then off to bed you go", Amari said with a nod towards the prince. Reluctantly Hajime let go of Tooru's shirt and smiled at him.

"Good night, Shittykawa."

"Good night Iwa-chan. Don't let the bed bugs bite you."

"Want me to put some in your bed?"

"No!"

"Hajime." Amari tugged at his arm and with one more glance over his shoulder Hajime followed her.

He let his mother tuck him into bed, even if he was already a big boy. He didn't even complain when she kissed his head, grumbling a "Love you, too" back as she stepped out of his room. With a smile Amari shut the door, leaving Hajime to the darkness, the steady beat of the rain the only sound.

It was pouring heavily outside now, but to Hajime the pitter-patter on the roof was like a lullaby, the distant thunder like the rumbling purr of a big cat. Hajime wondered if Tooru would purr, too, if he were lying next to him. It was the last clear thought he had before the sound of the storm outside lulled him to sleep.

The next thing he knew was another padding sound and for a moment Hajime thought it was the rain that had awoken him from a dream he couldn't remember. But this wasn't the rhythmic drum of the downpour outside. This sound was uneven, hesitant and, most of all, closer.

Hajime turned and opened his eyes, squinting against the darkness. He could barely make out the shape of what had interrupted his sleep. Or better, who. But judging by the size of the silhouette and the scent accompanying it...

"Tooru?", Hajime asked into the dark and the figure flinched, halting its awkward shuffle towards him.

"Hey..." Tooru's voice barely more than a whisper. It was almost inaudible over the rain, especially with the sound of thunder now directly above them. The storm had fully reached them as it seemed.

"Tooru, you know we're not supposed to be in each other's rooms at night", Hajime yawned, wondering what had possessed his friend to go against their parents´ rules. Was he that desperate for more time together?

"Yes, yes, I know I'm not supposed to be here, I mean why would I want to share the only time I have for myself with you?"

Tooru's voice sounded weirdly strained in Hajime's ears and the small laugh forced, too high-pitched and breathy. It lacked any of the confidence or mirth it usually held during the day, sounding so unlike Tooru that Hajime sat up, trying to get a better look at him.

"Are you okay? What are you doing here?"

"I-I couldn't sleep, because of the rain, it's so loud, at home in the castle I never really hear the rain and-"

Another flash of light instantly followed by thunder cut Tooru's rambling short and he flinched, wrapping his arms around himself. It looked like he was trying to make his already small body appear even smaller, as if he was trying to hide himself away.

Realization washed over Hajime.

"Tooru, are you afraid of the thunderstorm?"

There was no reply, but Hajime could almost see Tooru bite his lip like he always did when he didn't want to say what he was thinking.

"Why don't you go to your mother if you're scared?", Hajime asked, now able to make out more details of the hunched figure in front of him. Like the way Tooru's face scrunched up at the thought.

"I don't need another reason for her to treat me like a baby", he muttered.

So, it was another weakness he didn't want to show in front of his mother. Yet he somehow felt comfortable enough to allow Hajime to see it. It was oddly flattering.

For a moment he just watched Tooru standing there in the darkness, still rooted to his spot in the middle of Hajime's room. As if he wasn't sure whether he was allowed to come closer or not. Hesitancy was not something Hajime associated with the prince. It felt wrong somehow, seeing him this anxious. Another lightning strike lit up the room for a second, allowing Hajime a glimpse at Tooru's face, the clenched jaw and wide eyes, filled with raw fear. 

Hajime didn´t even have to make the decision.

"Why are you standing there like some dumbass? Get over here so I can go back to sleep", he huffed.

He wasn't sure if Tooru jumped at his voice or the thunder. Another second passed, as if Tooru couldn't believe Hajime had allowed him to stay with him for the night. Then he hurried the last few steps towards the bed and slid under the covers next to Hajime.

"Uwah, you're cold!" Hajime kicked at Tooru's feet as he tried to snuggle closer.

"It's not my fault it's cold outside. And you're really warm", Tooru mumbled, moving towards Hajime again who held out his hands to keep the distance between them.

"I'm not your personal oven!"

"But Iwa-chan", Tooru whined, sounding already more like his usual self again. Yet when the next boom of thunder echoed through the room, he let out a whimper, curling into a little ball.

It made something in Hajime's chest tighten to see Tooru like that and he begrudgingly opened his arms.

"Come here, Trashykawa."

Tooru lifted his eyes, blinking at him. Their eyes found each other even in the darkness and the next moment Tooru was snuggled up against Hajime, clinging to him like some sort of lifeline. His face was buried in Hajime's shoulder, hiding from the flashing lights. Hajime hadn't noticed that he was trembling until he held Tooru's shaking body in his arms.

"The thunder's not gonna harm you, Idiotkawa", Hajime murmured, soft voice contrasting the insulting words. "It's just noise. Like a big purring cat. Rawr."

He felt stupid for making sounds like a toddler, but when he felt Tooru chuckle weakly against his collarbone he found that he didn't care.

"Nothing's gonna hurt you", he repeated, tightening his grip around Tooru's middle. "Not as long as I'm here."

~~~~~~~~

When the adults weren't greeted with two cheering balls of energy in the morning as per usual, Amari went to investigate what had caused the boys absence from breakfast. She returned five minutes later, trying to smother a grin.

"You have to come see this", she said, leading her husband and the queen to Hajime's room. Before she opened the door, Amari faced the queen.  
"I know what we agreed upon, but please don't get mad."

Akemi nodded in confusion and Amari quietly slid the door open. At first Akemi couldn't see anything wrong in the room, the only oddity the still sleeping Hajime. His unruly hair was sticking out from under the covers as he curled around- Oh!

"Aren't they cute? I didn't have the heart to wake them."

Amari joined her side as they looked down at both Hajime and Tooru snuggled up close. Hajime had his face buried in Tooru's hair, arms wrapped firmly around his chest. Tooru's head was pressed against Hajime's heart, their legs tangled together beneath the blanket. Amari found herself reminded of a Ying and Yang symbol, their bodies fitting perfectly together with not an inch left between them. 

"I wonder what made them disobey the only rule we've set", Ryota said, but there was no accusation in his voice. Instead he smiled faintly while he watched the two boys tangled up together.

"Maybe it was because of the storm", Amari mused. "It was pretty violent, I woke up a few times, too."

"Oh, yes, Tooru used to be scared of thunderstorms." Akemi's soft look morphed into a frown, eyes locked on her son. "But I thought he had grown out of it."

Amari put a hand on her shoulder. "They're not as big as we often think they are. Look at them, they're still just kids, sleeping together like that without caring what anyone would think."

"Maybe we should let them sleep in the same room for the last few days, then we'll at least have some peace in the morning."

"Ryota!" Amari slapped her husband's shoulder. But instead of disagreeing like Akemi expected she gave the sleeping boys a thoughtful look. "Maybe you're right. There would be no honest harm in that and they would for sure be beside themselves with joy."

"Are you serious?", Akemi asked, thinking what a scandal it would be if something like that had happened at the palace.

"Why not? If it makes them happy", Ryota said with a shrug.

"Just look at them, Akemi. They're holding on to each other as though their world would fall apart if they let go. How can we make them separate?" Amari shook her head. There was something in her eyes when she gazed down at Hajime and Tooru again. "It is as if they were two halves born separately by mistake."

Akemi watched them silently for a while before she nodded.

"Alright. I guess for the last nights we can allow this."

Amari smiled. Somehow, she had known that they wouldn't be able to keep those two apart. Some things were just meant to be together.

~~~~~~~~

The last days of the two royals´ stay passed by in what felt like a blink of an eye. Now that they had been allowed to sleep in the same room the boys were literally together every minute of the day – and night. Despite the clouds that now covered the sky and the occasional shower Hajime and Tooru stayed out from dusk 'til dawn playing. The nights they spent in Hajime's room swapping stories in hushed whispers until they fell asleep cuddled up together.

Dinner the evening before the royals' departure was an unusually quiet affair. Both Hajime and Tooru had begged their parents for more time, for only a few more days together, but it was an impossible thing to ask. Tooru and his mother had to return to the capital and no amount of tears could change that.

Neither of the boys spoke a word to their parents during the meal, glaring reproachfully at their food and the adults. Of course, they blamed their separation on them and Akemi couldn't even fault them for it. These two had become such close friends that even to her it felt cruel. If she´d truly had a say in this she would have left her son here for as long as he wished. And yet she had to take Tooru back to Aoba Johsai. She was already dreading the way home and the crying and pouting it would inevitably bring. 

That night there were no funny stories about pranking farmers or clumsy servants told in giddy whispers. It wasn't silent like dinner either, though. Hajime's bedroom was instead filled with murmured plans for the future, how they would keep in touch via letters until they were old enough to travel on their own and visit each other. 

"Father might send me to court to become a knight when I am older, then we can be together all the time."

Tooru's face lit up at Hajime's words, smiling at the thought of his friend living with him in his home. He couldn't really imagine searingly honest Hajime fit into the constantly scheming and gossiping court, but having him at his side, constantly, was something Tooru yearned for with an intensity that surprised him himself.  
Hajime watched Tooru smile next to him where he had scooted close, their heads on the pillow only inches apart. His chest felt tight when he thought about how he would not see this smile for a long, long time.

"You can be my own personal guard. Then we'll be together all the time."

"I have better things to do than run after you all day", Hajime said, knowing full well that this was a lie.

Tooru pouted. "And what exactly are those things?"

"Training, becoming stronger, so I can hunt dragons."

Tooru placed a hand on Hajime's upper arm a squeezed it lightly.

"You are already strong, Iwa-chan. And dragons only exist in stories."

"Not true", Hajime said, closing his eyes. Despite wanting to spend every precious second awake and with Tooru, it was hard to fight off the desire to sleep. It had been a long day and he felt comfortable, Tooru's palm warm against his skin. He placed his own hand over Tooru's and the prince shifted closer, curling into Hajime's side. He sighed contently, and the sound made Hajime's insides feel warm, too. If only he could stop time, he would make this moment last forever.

"I'm really gonna miss you", Hajime whispered, more to himself than Tooru. Nonetheless he got a reply.

"I'm really going to miss you, too, Hajime."

Hajime opened his eyes and looked down at Tooru in surprise. The prince hadn't used his actual name since the day they had met. It had always been Iwa-chan this, Iwa-chan that, but never Hajime. He wasn't even sure if Tooru had ever called him Hajime before.

"I thought you said it was an ugly name?", Hajime asked with a smirk.

"It is." Tooru had put on a smirk as well, but Hajime could see his lips wobbling ever so slightly. Squinting against the semi-darkness he could see tears glistening in Tooru's eyes. His chest tightened.

"Hey, if you start crying, I'll hit you!", Hajime threatened, fighting his own tears.

"So mean, Iwa-chan!" Tooru sniffled, but he was smiling faintly, for real this time. Hajime didn't protest when Tooru wrapped an arm around his middle, instead he shuffled closer until there was no space left between them and put his own arm around the prince. He could feel his uneven breath against his shoulder, still disrupted by little sniffels. He tightened his hold on Tooru.

"I'll see you in our dreams."

Hajime felt Tooru's hands clutch the back of his shirt just as tightly as he murmured.

"See you in our dreams."

For it would be the only place they would see each other for a long time.

~~~~~~~~

"Promise me you'll write!"

"I already promised that, Baka-kawa! You really have a memory like a sieve", Hajime said, rolling his eyes.

Tooru ignored the insult. "Promise again!"

"Fine. I promise I'll write."

"Every day!"

"Don't strain your luck."

"Iwa-chan!"

Hajime made a show of rolling his eyes again.

"Every day, if that's what you want."

"Yes!" Tooru beamed and Hajime's mask of annoyance melted like wax under the sun. He briefly wondered how something as simple as a smile could make him feel this warm all of sudden.

"Tooru!", Queen Akemi called from where she stood beside her coach. "Say your farewell to Hajime and then come. We have to be through the forest before night falls."

Tooru's face fell and so did Hajime's heart. So, this was truly good bye then.

"Don't do anything stupid without me", he warned Tooru, not knowing what else to say. But what could you say to someone you were not sure you'd ever see again?

"How could I? I'm leaving all the stupid here", Tooru said with the fraction of a smile. "And I will come back to collect it one day, so we can be stupid together again."

Of course, Tooru knew what to say. Hajime's throat only tightened the longer he looked at him. So instead of a reply he took Tooru's hands in his and gave them a squeeze. Tooru squeezed them back.

"When we meet again I will be strong enough, so we can change the world together, I promise."

"Tooru!"

The prince's eyes flashed angrily as he glanced over his shoulder at his mother, then he threw his arms around his best friend´s neck. Hajime wrapped his own arms around him without hesitation. For several moments they just hugged each other tightly. After another, more insistent call from the queen they finally separated.

"See you in our dreams?", Hajime asked, stubbornly trying to keep his voice from cracking. He could see his own misery mirrored in Tooru's eyes, but they were dry and his posture straight as he stepped back.

"See you in our dreams", he confirmed before he quickly turned away and headed over to his mother and the coach that would inevitably take him away from Hajime.

All he could do was watch as Tooru climbed inside, throwing one more smile over his shoulder before he disappeared inside. And it took everything Hajime had to keep himself from running after him when the coach started moving.

Hajime faintly felt his father place a hand on his shoulder, but he couldn't focus on anything besides the gnawing hole in his chest, tears streaming down his cheeks as his best friend disappeared out of his sight and out of his life.

**Author's Note:**

> Rereading the end always makes me sad but then I remember that there´s a whole fucking sequel for them. (You should check that out, too). The title of this story was actually inspired by something Oikawa says somewhere in the main story and that I just found fitting. 
> 
> Btw, in case anyone noticed, Iwaizumi´s little fixation on dragons was inspired by his canon? love for Godzilla. 
> 
> So yeah, lemme know what you guys think of this and if this behemoth was worth the weeks I poured into it. ^^


End file.
